High School

Weighing the baby at the clinic was a problem. The baby would not keep still and caused the scales to wobble.

1. I held the baby and stood on the scales, and the nurse read off 78 kg.
2. The nurse held the baby, and I read off 69 kg.
3. Finally, I held the nurse, and the baby read off 137 kg.

What was the combined weight of all three?

Answer :

Final answer:

The combined weight of the baby, the nurse, and you is 142 kg. This was calculated using the three scale readings and setting up a system of equations based on the weights. By solving the equations, we found each individual's weight and summed them up.


Explanation:

Understanding the Weighing Problem

To find the combined weight of the baby, the nurse, and you, we can analyze the weights registered during each scenario:

  1. When you held the baby and stood on the scales, the reading was 78 kg.
  2. When the nurse held the baby while you read the scale, it showed 69 kg.
  3. Finally, when you held the nurse while the baby was on the scale, the reading was 137 kg.

Let:

  • B = weight of the baby
  • N = weight of the nurse
  • Y = your weight

From the readings, we can form the following equations:

  1. 1st reading: B + Y = 78
  2. 2nd reading: B + N = 69
  3. 3rd reading: N + Y = 137

Now we can use these equations to solve for the weights:

  1. From the 1st equation: B = 78 - Y
  2. Substituting B in the 2nd equation: (78 - Y) + N = 69 leads to N = Y - 9.
  3. Substituting N in the 3rd equation: (Y - 9) + Y = 137 simplifies to 2Y - 9 = 137, thus 2Y = 146, giving Y = 73 kg.
  4. Now substituting back to find N: N = 73 - 9 = 64 kg.
  5. Lastly, substituting Y into the equation for B: B = 78 - 73 = 5 kg.

Therefore, the total weight of all three is:

B + N + Y = 5 kg + 64 kg + 73 kg = 142 kg

Conclusion

The combined weight of the baby, nurse, and you is 142 kg.


Learn more about combined weight calculation here:

https://brainly.com/question/43762631


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